Wiersma speaks of an ‘immense task’. “Obtaining the building was a small step. The big step was yet to come,” he reflects. But he knows why it is necessary. “Otherwise such a building would have been lost. You can only preserve national monuments in this UNESCO area by making something happen.”
The building has been reorganized and the former kitchen, storage cabinets and bedrooms have been turned into fifteen hotel rooms. These rooms do not have a separate catering or reception area but are part of the Logement in Frederiksoord. This significantly expands the range of overnight stays in Frederiksoord. “I thought and think that Frederiksoord had too few hotel rooms in the old situation,” says tenant Cees de Vries. He is the owner of hotel Frederiksoord. “Now it’s nice and good.”
De Vries focuses his concept mainly on the older target group and suspects that sleeping in a monument will be a nice ‘bonus’. “I think people mainly come here because of the beautiful nature, cycling opportunities, walks and relative peace. I think people go for that and the fact that people are in a monument and a world heritage site is a nice bonus.”
A door in the building will remain closed for the time being. That is the former boardroom of the Society of Benevolence. That room will have a different purpose, says Wiersma. “That space is not only being restored, but also preserved. So every millimeter of wallpaper as it was applied in 1884 is being brought back, as well as the old layers of paint. We are still working on that next autumn.”
